By now, most people running Froyo are getting a little annoyed that OEMs and carriers are taking their sweet time to push the Gingerbread OTA update. Well, today there’s a bit of hope for you guys using the Thunderbolt or Evo 4G. According to TalkAndroid, one of their readers received an email from an HTC rep disclosing that both of these phones will receive the Gingerbread update anytime from now until the end of June. Here’s an excerpt from the email:

I’m happy to inform you that both the Evo and the Thunderbolt are definitely on our list to receive the 2.3 Android OS update. At this time, we don’t have an exact launch date, nor are we . However, we estimate that it will be available in the second quarter of 2011 (anywhere from the beginning of April, to the end of June), assuming that there are no major setbacks.

It’s kind of ridiculous that it takes OEMs and carriers longer to push out an update to one phone than it takes a couple of hackers to do the same for 30 phones. Gingerbread was released almost 6 months ago and nearly nobody has it yet. If people with high-end phones like the Evo 4G get an update 6 months after Google releases it, what’s left to say about those with low-end phones like the T-Mobile Comet? You’ll be lucky to get Gingerbread at all. The Android team needs to fix this mess yesterday. Do you guys feel as furious as I do about this? Let it all out in the comments, we’re here for you.

Alberto is a college student living somewhere between Miami, Sarasota and the World Wide Web. Although a former iPhone owner, Alberto is now a proud Android enthusiast. You can follow Alberto on Twitter and Google+ for his thoughts unworthy of an article.

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I dunno, most of the must have features I want are already on my phone now with 2.2. Getting Gingerbread would be nice, but it really doesn’t bother me as much. My phone works awesome as it is.

http://www.gregsvoboda.com Greg

I agree. The leap to 2.1 was HUGE (as we all know), and I’m excited to get a slice o’ the bread, but not AS excited as I was with 2.1

http://Website ts0cha0tik

Waiting for the MyTouch 4G to receive a hint of gingerbread goodness… The MyTouch was released with alot of issues that need to be addressed

http://hoosiercub.tumblr.com Tony

I dunno why everyone wants to jump on the Gingerbread bandwagon ASAP.. seriously.

Yeah it’ll be cool to be on the latest and greatest Android build for smartphones, but what most people do not realize is that there are still apps that don’t work well or at all on 2.3, not sure why it is, but I’ve noticed that with CM7. I love it but there are a few apps that I use that don’t work as well as they did on CM6, flat-out and truth. Now if I were stuck on 2.1 or lower, yeah I’d understand, but 2.2 is really the sweet spot to be in at the moment.

http://Website SocalTeknique

By that time I’m going to be getting ready to receive Ice Cream Sandwich on my Nexus S

http://Website Pip

These updates are now a marketing and PR issue for the Android platform (thanks Mr Jobs!). They have to figure out a way of delivering updates to as wide as possible spread of phones in a short as time as possible. One way which has been suggested before is to spin off as many components as possible to the Market so it can be updated like an app. The Market will know if your phone can handle it.
If this happens, then I think the fragmentation issue could be reduced as there would be less reliance on a well publicised ‘big bang’ update – which if you don’t get you feel you are missing something. Quicker way for bug fixes and enhancements as well.

http://Website heeros

I don’t know if it’s worth getting 2.3 on all the devices now, especially if you already have 2.2. I think 2.4 is going to be a much bigger deal. Were they not talking about gingerbread app compatibility, and merging cellphone and tablet development in 2.4?

http://Website heeros

sorry, meant Honeycomb app compatibility on cell phones.

http://Website Daniel

It would be stupid to go back to 2.4 once you have 3.0. IF there is a 2.4, it is technically constrained to introducing no API changes at all, which means there’s no “Honeycomb app compatibility” in sight. It will be, at best, a bugfix release (and possibly updated stock apps, as long as they also don’t introduce any new API changes, like new content providers). Any new significant platform release WILL have to use a version number greater than 3.0.

http://Website UniqueNate

It’s not the point of if Gingerbread works with most apps or not. It doesn’t matter if your happy with Froyo or not. It’s the point the companies can’t get this going in a timely manner. Meaning it’s a continuous trend for any update. What if it was ice cream or something that mattered ? It was the same complaint about Froyo. Now Gingerbread is here & been here actually. I’m not complaining but it’s something to think about for those that are simply saying it’s okay. You don’t have something yet & the next version after what you don’t have is ready to come out sometime this year. Just saying. If your happy though that’s cool. But on a site like Android and me, most of us know more about phones then your average consumer could understand on the basic level. So ask yourself are you really going to be holding on to that Froyo device forever after it is way behind on updates or never gets updated? Your probably thinking of getting something else now or in June with all these devices coming out.

& CM7 is cool and all. I’ve had my good shares of learning how to root, mod, hack, and tweak, but it’s not the same as an update or Pure Android. I never understood why people put that on a nexus phone. It’s already stock. Maybe they like the extra tweaks or something. Even when it becomes stable(just recently did) it’s not the same as an out of the box experience. If they were able to(I’m sure they could) put a pure google Rom & not something that is all tweaked out with launchers to mock the native Google launcher then I would understand. It makes more sense to root a phone with a skin on it from a manufacturer then it does a Nexus phone. If your just curious of other roms then I guess. But Cm7 on a Nexus? I never understood it. Nothing against it just feel thats a little backwards.

We should be very thankful though for the Developer community. A lot of us wouldn’t even have the experience of using Froyo. But for those that are saying apps don’t play nice with Ginger & CM7 Ginger is not as smooth as CM6 Froyo, get a Nexus S for a week and have a natively built out the box phone with Pure Google. It’s not the same. Having a phone that runs well out the box & daily, & sure to get future updates is a great feeling. Imagine how Apple customers feels. I’m all for Android though. They get updates and fixes like it’s nothing. One device, one platform, smooth sailing. Gingerbread is quality with a few new looks. It was needed. Not everything needs to be an overhaul. We as consumers who understand more just want the speed and big name features. It’s more then that. Sorry if things are misspelled and what not. As I am mobile. I hope an edit button is added to this site soon.

http://Website DaveC

I recently switched from T-Mo to Sprint so I went from a Nexus S with 2.3 to an EVO without it. My favorite part of Gingerbread is the keyboard, and fortunately a version is available in the market. I’m curious to see how it’s going to be integrated with Sense. Meanwhile I’m enjoying Gingerbread on my $500 alarm clock (Nexus One) :-)

http://Website alcoholy cow

gosh you are a moron….

http://Website taco

wait does this include the evo shift?

http://Website Lee

U can try Android 2.3.3 with Sense for the Evo right now. Just root ur Evo,perform a nandroid backup.Download the leaked Supersonic GB Sense rom,then flash away. If u dont like it flash back to froyo. I personally dont think Android looks good without HTC Sense. I love my Evo,rooted,with a tweaked stock rom & kernel. Plus i own a Samsuck Epic 4G,on 2.1 still,bcuz its my business phone,or i would root it too & flash a 2.2+ rom.The froyo OTA update messed up the device,so Sprint downgraded back to 2.1. Ill never buy any Samsung device. If the Epic wasnt free, i wouldve returned it along time ago.Also,i think the update to 2.2,froyo,was a better update than 2.1 was. Froyo changed the Android OS game,for the better,& faster,much more than 2.1 did.In my opinion.

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